How often do we hear or see the phrase, "My customer's interests come first"? Do we really think that prospective clients believe us? Maybe it is actually the opposite. Just by saying it, we become suspects.

So you can imagine how incredulous I was when I spoke to two of Jim Cantwell's clients and heard them say "I admire Jim." Now both these clients are business owners themselves. They weren’t referring to the success of their portfolios (government compliance regulations won't let me write about that anyway). They were referring to the way Jim conducts his business.

I actually opened the dictionary to find the exact definition of the word admire. The most common is: to regard with wonder, pleasure, or approval. Now that is pretty powerful stuff.

I wasn't going to let these comments go without asking for specific details.

I wanted to know what Jim had actually done.

Bob, a retired computer consultant had used Jim as his CPA, helping him with tax issues as it related to his business and personal life. Bob used a different advisor for his financial planning needs.

So what was it that Bob admired about Jim? Bob said, "Jim respected the fact that I had a relationship with another professional. He never asked me to consider switching over and use him as my financial planner."

Bob actually called Jim and told him that he was dissatisfied with his current advisor and wanted to hire Jim. Only then did Jim become Bob's financial advisor too.

Alice's story is even more incredible. She also used Jim as the accountant for her business. As her business grew, Jim suggested she consider using an accountant who is a guru in QuickBooks (a software package for small businesses). So Alice found another accountant who knew QuickBooks.

However, her new accountant treated her staff with derision. He was always telling Alice that they were incompetent. Alice fired him and asked Jim to become her accountant again.

Jim is a stubborn guy. He found Alice another QuickBooks expert. Again, things didn't work out. This time Alice told Jim that she was not going to work with any other accountant. Jim was the person she would work with it. And she had Jim hire a QuickBooks consultant to help out. However, she was firm: Jim was her accountant (and later her financial advisor).

I guess you have to admire a guy who actually gives up business to help his clients.We live in a world in which marketing is king. Some of Jim's competitors present themselves as almost larger then life. But Jim kind of fits the stereotype of a CPA. He is a reserved person, not a back-slapper or a joke teller. (If he starts telling you his one joke that he uses at his seminars, about the dentist and the mortician, please have him stop. It really isn't so funny).

Jim knows he's a reserved and well-organized person. He admitted that he lays out his clothes each night before he goes into work. I might define that as being obsessive / compulsive, but then it might be a great attribute for an accountant / financial advisor.
Jim keeps his client's comments totally confidential. I could see Bob or Alice getting up and telling the above story 20 years from now at Jim's retirement party. His daughter would look over to him and say. "Dad why didn’t you ever tell me that? I’m so proud of you."

I decided she shouldn't wait 20 years.